We Are All Commuter Barbie

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OUR OBSESSION

Making the rounds online this week is hilarious parody video “Commuter Barbie,” which highlights the struggles of and stereotypes around being a woman in New York City. Reminiscent of a ‘90s Barbie commercial, the spot features two young girls discussing various elements and accessories of their Commuter Barbie, items that New Yorkers will recognize all too well: a tote from The Strand, a misspelled Starbucks cup that reads “Barbie,” a yoga mat, and more. Packed with plenty of jokes, the clip is a must-watch for anyone missing the satirical style of HBO’s Girls, as it both pokes fun at and celebrates a very certain kind of Millennial woman living in the Big Apple.

As much as we love Millennials, their time in the spotlight is waning. It’s time for a new generation to take center stage and disrupt culture as we know it. You guessed it—Gen Z. Our next report on this burgeoning group will be released this summer, but in the meantime, we invite you to check out another report we created in partnership with AwesomenessTV: Gen Z: The Audience You Can’t Ignore. Based on a large national study of Gen Z teens, the report provides fascinating insights into this upcoming generation, from their interests and life goals to entertainment consumption and beyond. Download a free copy here!

The idea that failure is vital to innovation has perhaps never been clearer than it is at the Museum of Failure, which opens next month in Sweden. Curated by Dr. Samuel West, the museum will feature over sixty failed innovations and products from large brands including Google Glass, “BIC for Her” pens, and Harley-Davidson fragrance. In addition, it will host a series of failure-themed events and exhibits during the month of June and is even taking suggestions, from sampling a nice restaurant’s failed tasting menu to a microbrewery’s epic failed batch of brews. Designed in part to help rebrand failure as a means for learning and improvement, the Museum of Failure is a prime example of our “Cult of Obsession” trend, where highly niche ideas and topics are being celebrated and exhibited in major ways.

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We hope we aren’t the first ones to remind you that Mother’s Day is this weekend, but just in case you’re still in need of a last-minute gift, look no further than Simone LeBlanc’s artisanal luxury gift boxes. These beautiful, highly-curated boxes make it easy to send the gift of pampering and self-care while covering an array of interests and tastes. Our favorite, The Mind Body Spirit Deluxe Box, features a “dreams and wishes” journal, Spirit Dust from Moon Juice, a geode, and everything else your mom needs for a mindful Mother’s Day with just the right vibe. Embodying curation at its finest, LeBlanc hits the sweet spot between custom gifting and mass production to make every recipient feel special.

First there was Tinder, then Tinder for friends, and now Tinder for… babies? Just A Baby is a new app taking matchmaking to another level by pairing people with potential “biological conception partners,” a.k.a. those who want to have a baby somehow, some way. To join, users create a biological profile and cite what they are looking for or can provide, from sperm and egg donations to surrogate and co-parenting services. In addition to connecting prospective partners from all over the world, the app provides information for legal and fertility services as well as family counseling. The app has already garnered nearly 4,000 responses in its first few months, meaning the swipe-right system could very well be a new frontier in fertility alternatives.

Who knew your next hangover could help save the planet? Thanks to Dutch creative agency Fitzroy, we can all help clean the oceans by throwing back a few drinks. Earlier this year, the Fitzroy team discovered that the beaches of Denmark’s North Sea Islands were polluted with red Coca-Cola wrappers and other plastic waste. Rather than developing a traditional environmental cleanup initiative, they developed their sustainable Fitzroy Premium Navy Rum and turned the beach trash into packaging, complete with beautiful marble-inspired bottle caps and a recycled, reusable glass bottom flask. Available at select retailers, we love the unique story and gorgeous design behind this earth-friendly liquor, not to mention its new take on a rum-coke.

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